Amanda

Separation Anxiety occurs within children under the age of 18. This disorder can occur when i child is separated by something or someone they feel a bond and/or are attached to. Some evidence could be that the child could have reoccurring nightmares involving what they are separated from. Complaints with physical symptoms can occur such as headaches, or stomach pains, or even vomiting because the separation. Lots of children refuse to go to sleep or even leave the room until their attachment is with their sight or space. Some may even refuse to go to school because of the fear they would face being away from what they're attached to. The process of separation anxiety in children usually last at least 4 weeks, but within those 4 weeks this disorder can cause a lot of stress to the family. Between the ages of 8 to 14 months, children are very shy when they meet new people, but when the reach the age to two, that is when they are toddlers and can have separation anxiety. There is no cure for separation anxiety because it is completely normal. This happens all the time in children in some infants or toddlers in some way. The only cure is the parents, they can help their child as they grow up learn how to trust.

Separation can occur when your an adult, but it is very mild and it is mostly stress. People 18 and older have out grown the lack of trust and have out grown most of their anxiety, but in some cases their still can be an attachment that cant be forgotten. In this case there is medicine because doctors believe it is stress related, and so they give stress relief medicine, when the actual problem is separation anxiety. The only difference is that people 18 and older won't have that anxiety for long, they forget about it easily and don't take it as seriously as a toddler would. Again, this is normal for children and adults, there are ways of healing. Adults can heal on the their own, children need a little more guidance but this can be fixed. Remember, this is not genetic, it is very common and happens in every family.

Some tips to help deal with separation anxiety are as followed
  • You'll want to educate yourself
    • You will have the knowledge to help your child feel more comfortable when you are not in their sight.
  • Listen and Respect your child as well as their feelings
    • Your child could heal from this disorder much easier if he or she is listened too.
  • Talk about the Disorder
  • It is much healthier if the parents sit down with their child and talk about the issue, as well as the child's feelings towards the situation. Listen to what your child has to say, all of you will feel more comfortable talking to each other.
If everyone works together as a family, then you can accomplish anything. Talk, listen, and understand the issue and discuss the plan to make things better. You cant describe the love you have for your children, so save your child from this disorder, talk and listen, and maybe we all can learn how to prevent separation anxiety from happening.

Works Cited
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/separation_anxiety_causes_prevention_treatment.htm
http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/feelings/sep_anxiety.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002509/